Original Post: Inquirer Golf on Facebook
Post Date: February 27 2015
CEBU – Manila Southwoods turned in a balanced third round yesterday and became the third different leader of the 68th Philippine Airlines Interclub Men’s championship here.
Former pro Vince Lauron carved out a two-over-par 74 worth 34 points and three others turned in outputs in the 30s at the ravine-laden Club Filipino de Cebu layout in Danao as Southwoods tallied a day-best 126 for a one-point lead over defending champion Orchard.
Joseph Tambunting played for the second straight day and turned in 31 like Jets Sajulga, with Jun Jun Plana firing 30 as Southwoods discarded a respectable 29 by Manfred Guangko for 365 to be in position for its first centerpiece title in more than a decade.
Rodel Mangulabnan was the top man for Orchard, firing a level 36 with King Stehmeier shooting 32 to make up the bulk of the defending champions’ 124 for the day and 364 overall.
Cebu Country Club wasn’t as fiery as it was on Thursday, pooling just 121 to be seven points down with Wack Wack, the surprise second round leader, struggling to a 116 to be a further point behind at 357.
Gen Nagai played for the first time and turned in 33 points for Cebu CC, the 2012-13 champion which made a bold second round move with 126 to zoom back into contention.
But Mark Dy, after a second round 36, scored 32 with Bayani Garcia and Carl Almario firing 29 and 27 points, respectively, to round out scoring for Cebu CC, which threw away the 26 of Harvey Sytiongsa.
“We gave them a target and the boys delivered,” said Southwoods’ non-playing assistant captain, Jerome Delariarte, who was part of the last SW team that won this tournament in 2001. “We have a good, solid team coming out (for the final round) tomorrow.”
John Gobing fired 30, Tootsi De Jesus and Gary Sy 29s and Gabriel Manotoc 28 for Wack Wack, which was originally set to compete in the lower Founders Division but found itself slugging it out with the big boys because of a high PAL points average.
It is expected to be nothing short of a battle royal come today’s final round at Cebu CC, a gem of a layout that is vastly different in character because of it’s tree-lined roughs and longer holes.
Nagai will spearhead Cebu CC, with Raymund Sangil leading Orchard and the comebacking Tonlits Asistio and national pool member Justin Quiban the biggest guns for Southwoods in the final day.
Wack Wack will have the veteran Tommy Manotoc coming out for the last round.
Meanwhile, Alabang got 31s from Liam Cully and Philippe Palanca, a 28 from Anthony See and 26 from Arnel Paras for a 116 also at Club Filipino and 355 that kept it 22 points ahead of Apo Golf and Alta Vista in the Founders Division.
Alabang still has a shot at winning the overall championship, being just 10 points off Southwoods.
Socal Red Hawk all but put the Sportswriters title away with a 33-point lead over Fil-Am Hawaii and Stanford Golf after firing 104 at Cebu CC for a 321 tally. Jonathan Cornelio fired 30 to pace Socal Red Hawk.
One Mega, People Asia, Hotel H20, Travelife, Boeing International Corp., Business Mirror and GE Aviation are sponsoring the PAL Interclub Seniors and Regular Men’s events. Other backers include Manila Bulletin, Mareco Broadcasting Network (Crossover), Whealth Inc., Aerospace, Uniglobe Travelware Co. Inc., Tanduay Distillers and Intercontinental Manila.
